Cambridge IGCSE

What is Cambridge IGCSE?

IGCSE stands for International General Certificate of Secondary Education. It is the world’s most popular international qualification for 14 to 16 year olds, recognised by leading universities and employers worldwide, and is an international passport to progression and success.

IGCSE is equivalent to UK GCSE, O level, fifth form or year 11 respective to student’s country and school. Its curriculum offers a variety of routes for learners with a wide range of abilities, including those whose first language is not English.

After IGCSE students can proceed to take Advanced Level (A-level or sixth form or year 12 and 13) or Pre-U (pre-university) studies

Qualification

Cambridge IGCSE assessment takes place at the end of the course and can include written, oral, coursework and practical assessment. This broadens opportunities for students to demonstrate their learning, particularly when their first language is not English.

Grades are benchmarked using eight internationally recognised grades, A* to G, which have clear guidelines to explain the standard of achievement for each grade.

Cambridge IGCSE examination sessions occur twice a year, in June and November. Results are issued in August and January.

Past papers with mark schemes for each subject are available for you to download, along with examiner reports from previous exam sessions, and specimen papers. To find them, go to CIE IGCSE Past Papers

Curriculum

There are over 70 subjects available at Cambridge IGCSE, including 30 languages, and schools can offer them in any combination. Cambridge IGCSE develops learner knowledge, understanding and skills in:

  • Subject content
  • Applying knowledge and understanding to new as well as unfamiliar situations
  • Intellectual enquiry
  • Flexibility and responsiveness to change
  • Working and communicating in English
  • Influencing outcomes
  • Cultural awareness

What is the difference between IGCSE Core and IGCSE Extended?

To take account of differing abilities, there is a choice between Core and Extended papers in some IGCSE subjects. This allows teachers to decide on the most appropriate level of papers for their students.

The Core curriculum in each subject is within the ability range of a large majority of students. It provides a full overview of the subject and is targeted at students expected to achieve grades C to G.

The Extended curriculum, made up of the Core curriculum and the Supplement, has been designed for the more academically able and leads naturally into higher education or professional training. It is targeted at those expected to achieve grades A* to E. The Supplement describes the extra topics or depth which must be added to the Core curriculum to produce the Extended curriculum.

Target Grades                         Grades Available

Core Curriculum                            C   D   E   F   G

Extended Curriculum                     A* A   B   C   D   E

The overlap of three grades (C, D and E) is designed to accommodate students who perform either better or worse than their teachers expect. Students who fail to meet the minimum satisfactory standard for either the Core curriculum (Grade G) or the Extended curriculum (Grade E) will be ungraded.

In some subjects, the exam covers the complete ability range and there is no choice of Core and Extended papers. For these subjects, the full range of grades is available.

Cambridge ICE

Cambridge ICE is a group award for Cambridge IGCSE, offering a broad and balanced curriculum by recognising the achievements of learners who pass examinations in at least seven IGCSE subjects from five different subject groups:

  • Group I: Languages
    • First Language
      • Afrikaans
      • Arabic
      • Chinese
      • Czech
      • Dutch
      • English
      • French
      • German
      • Japanese
      • Korean
      • Portuguese
      • Russian
      • Sesotho
      • Spanish
      • Thai
      • Turkish
    • Second Language
      • Afrikaans
      • Chinese
      • English
      • Hindi
      • IsiZulu
      • Kazakh
      • Urdu
    • Foreign Language
      • Arabic
      • Dutch
      • French
      • German
      • Greek
      • Indonesian
      • Italian
      • Japanese
      • Malay
      • Mandarin Chinese
      • Portuguese
      • Spanish
  • Group II: Humanities and Social Sciences
    • Bangladesh Studies
    • Development Studies
    • Economics
    • Environmental Management
    • Geography
    • Cambridge Global Perspectives
    • History
    • India Studies
    • Islamiyat
    • Latin
    • Literature (English)
    • Literature (Spanish)
    • Pakistan Studies
    • Religious Studies
    • Sociology
    • World Literature
  • Group III: Sciences
    • Agriculture
    • Biology
    • Chemistry
    • Combined Science
    • Co-ordinated Sciences (Double Award)
    • Environmental Management
    • Physical Science
    • Physics
  • Group IV: Mathematics
    • Additional Mathematics
    • Cambridge International Mathematics
    • Mathematics
  • Group V: Creative and Professional 
    • Accounting
    • Art and Design
    • Business Studies
    • Cambridge Global Perspectives
    • Child Development
    • Computer Science
    • Design and Technology
    • Drama
    • Enterprise
    • Food and Nutrition
    • Information and Communication Technology
    • Music
    • Physical Education
    • Travel and Tourism

Learners must take two different languages from Group I, and one subject from each of Groups II, III, IV and V. The seventh subject can be taken from any of the five subject groups.

Environmental Management can count as either a Group II or a Group III subject, and Co-ordinated Sciences (Double Award) counts as two subjects.

Students who qualify for the Cambridge ICE award will be awarded with one of the three certificates:

  • Distinction – Grade A or better in five subjects and grade C or better in two subjects
  • Merit – Grade C or better in five subjects and grade F or better in two subjects
  • Pass – Grade G or better in seven subjects

Note: All of the information above are taken from CIE